Tamil Nadu Government: Arrears Examinations to be conducted online!
Posted on: 15/Apr/2021 1:53:53 PM
The State Government of Tamil Nadu has presented to the Chennai High Court that the arrears examinations, which were announced as cancelled due to raging coronavirus pandemic, are now scheduled to be conducted online.
As such, the State Government of Tamil Nadu has informed the Chennai High Court that the online examinations would be FOR ALL STUDENTS WHO HAVE ARREARS!
Last week, the Chennai High Court had given the historic verdict that the announcement of cancellation arrears examination by the State Government is INVALID. The Chennai High Court asked the State Government of Tamil Nadu to review this and organise the arrears examinations.
The enquiries on petitions regarding this issue were conducted by the bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Bannerji and Judge Senthilkumar Ramamurthy. During the enquiry, it was presented by the State Government of Tamil Nadu that the arrears examinations for the concerned students are set to be conducted. Further, the dates of the online arrears examinations will be announced through the respectiv3e universities. Consultation and review in this regard will be conducted by the State Government of Tamil Nadu with the University Grants Commission (UGC).
THE STATE GOVERNMENT OF TAMI NADU FURTHER INFORMED THAT THE STUDENTS WHO DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THESE ONLINE ARREARS EXAMINATIONS WILL NOT BE DEEMED AND DECLARED AS PASSED!
During this session, it was declared on behalf of UGC that the proposal of the online arrears examinations is acceptable.
Subsequently, the Chennai High Court has ordered that the State Government of Tamil Nadu must conduct the proposed online arrears examinations within the next 8 weeks.
The advocate, hailing from Thiruchendur, Ramkumar Adithan and the former Anna University Vice-chancellor Balagurusamy had filed petitions individually against the earlier order of the Tamil Nadu State Government cancelling the arrears examination due to the raging coronavirus pandemic.
All India Council for Technical Education and the University Grants Commission represented in this enquiry that order by the Tamil Nadu State Government cancelling the arrears examination WAS AGAINST THE RULES.
These petitions came up for enquiry last week before the bench of judges comprising of Chief Justice Sanjib Bannerji and Judge Senthilkumar Ramamurthy
Tamil Nadu State Government Chief Advocate, Vijay Narayan, representing the state government of Tamil Nadu during this enquiry, presented:
“The All India Council for Technical Education (AITEC) and the Agencies which handle the academic courses for agriculture, medical, and the Teachers’ Courses opposed the earlier order issued by the State Government of Tamil Nadu cancelling the arrears examinations. Subsequently, the arrears examinations for the above-mentioned academic courses HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED. Further, the arrears examinations for the Arts &Science courses were cancelled based on the rules and regulations of the UGC!”
Subsequently, it was presented on behalf of UGC:
“As per the new rules released on 29th April and July in the year 2020, the rules and regulations were revised in devised to facilitate and recommend the arrears s examinations to be conducted! It is reconfirmed that UGC never informed to cancel the arrears examinations!”
The judges interfered at this juncture and declared:
“WE CANNOT ACCEPT THE STATE GOVERNMENT ORDER THAT ONLY BY PAYING THE FEES FOR THE ARREARS EXAMINATION THE STUDENTS TO BE DEEMED AS PASSED! So, the State Government of Tamil Nadu needs to review and re-examine conducting the arrears examinations. The State Government of Tamil Nadu has to submit the entire details of the number of students and their arrears subjects university-wise and colleges-wise throughout the State of Tamil Nadu and also the details of how many students had been declared as passed! Without any compromise on the sanctity of Education, the State Government of Tamil Nadu and UGC should jointly review the situation and recommend their views!”
Subsequently, the enquiry was postponed to 15th April (today, Thursday).
It has also been mentioned in the court order that a detailed report regarding the conducted arrears examination must be submitted by the 2nd week of July!
